And waiting until the first day it’s genuinely freezing to get yourself a new winter coat usually doesn’t end well—you’re either digging through whatever’s left on the racks or subjecting yourself to another year with that old coat that never lived up to expectations.

In other words, the time to find your perfect winter coat is now. And since winter means different things to different people (someone who lives in the Pacific Northwest versus a steelworker in Pittsburgh, for instance), we’ve put together a wintry mix of coats that should have you covered for every occasion.

A heavy overshirt can do wonders for your layering strategy this time of year.

And this quilted Kemsey shirt from Penfield that’s just arrived at Austin outfitter Stag might be the finest specimen we’ve seen yet. It’s cut like your favorite button-down, but quilted like your favorite down vest (or, if you’re really up on the trends, your newest blazer). It makes for the sort of layer that can hold its own as outerwear but also low-profile enough to act as the insulating layer to a light jacket—say, a raincoat. Which means it’ll be getting more use than you might expect from something that’s neither a shirt nor a jacket (nor shacket).

We’ve been seeing a lot of railroad stripe, both on the racks at the (capsule) show and among Penfield’s recentgear, but our favorite so far is this APC jacket from a season past that just landed at their sale annex in Brooklyn. The nautical peacoat shape might be a bit unwieldy, but it makes the most of the thickness of the cloth and the result is the kind of offbeat stateliness APC does best. And if it's a season or two ahead of the curve, all the better.

Summer lumberjacking can be a tough move, but if you feel like hanging on to the woodsy vibe a little bit longer, this might come in handy.

The main advance from this new Penfield item is the stealth pockets in front, but the play between the two panels is enough to give this staying power in our book. It comes in blue and white in case the purple is a bit too much for you…but fortune favors the brave.

It wasn’t too long ago the puffy jacket was bette noir among the slim Soho crowds. But after a couple of decades of exile, they’ve finally seen the light on Penfield again. (At least, as long as it’s black.)

This goosedown comes from a collaboration with Rag & Bone that tones down the usual plaids and adds zipoff sleeves, but keeps the same ursine profile that makes usually Penfield coats so much fun. There’s also a hooded model for women and a vest for earlier in the fall, both in similarly monochromatic form. The whole batch hits Rag & Bone stores in august, but if you can’t wait… there’s always the older version.

The backpack has gotten a bad rap over the years. (No, not that kind of rap.) Usually relegated to hikers and grade-schoolers, it may be due for a revival. After all, true style rises to the occasion, and you don’t want set off into the tropical wilderness with an Italian leather duffel. (For one thing, you’ll ruin the finish.) Not all travel is created equal, and a little utility is nothing to be ashamed of.

This pair is from our old friends at Penfield, who most recently were bringing us some much-needed flannel. Put the two together, and you’re pretty much set for that weekend excursion to Maine.

Speaking of workwear, we’re drawing perilously close to cold weather, along with seasonal appropriateness for our favorite piece of lumberjackwear, the flannel shirt.

This one’s from Penfield—also a solid spot for your coldest-day-of-the-year winter coat—but if you don’t feel like checking online, we recommend a trip to your local vintage outfit. Vintage stores do flannel better than anything else, and you’ll end up with something more offbeat than anything you could find firsthand…as long as you don’t mind sewing up a hole or two.